EDUCATION

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 24 July 1925, Page 5

EDUCATION

CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS. FOR BACKBLOGKS CHILDREN.. SUCCESSFUL SCHEME. FROM OUR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. WELLINGTON, July 23. The EJucation Department has increased its correspondence school staff, which now provides education for 504 children in the remote baokblocks, also to disabled children who cannot attend school. ' The education lepert .states that owing to exactitude and thoroughness, and the comparative independence under which correspondence pupils have to work, and to the definite correction and -comment on the individual work ot the .scholars, as well as to intimate and helpful guidance given by parents or elder members of family, it is found that, in many respects the pupils of correspondence classes have distinct advantages compensating' for some of their disabilities. it is expected that a considerable proportion df these children will, in many respects, quite hold their own with children taught in the ordinary schools. The expenditure oil correspondence schools' amounted' to approximately £3 10s per child. t As the Government grant allowed towards the salary of the teacher« in grade O schools! is £ls per unit of average attendance,- the correspondence system of tuition represents a very considerable economy, while it provides education quite as good .as, if not better, than 'tliat generally provided in grade O schools. AGRICULTURE EDUCATION.

“The subjects of agriculture, nature study, and rural science have been supervised, and in some of the districthigh schools taught as in former years by itinerant instructors specially qualified in agriculture,” states the Education Department in its annual report. It adds that as there are seventythree district high schools, over 2500 primary schools, it is not possible for twenty-five itinerant instructors to do much more than visit the schools occasionally to advise teachers and to supervise their work In school garden and .scienae room. As it is not considered necessary at present to increase largely the staff of specialist agriculture instructors in primary schools, it is necessary that the teachers themselves should have competent knowledge of the subjects of rural science and nature study. The department has accordingly encouraged! the attendance of teachers at. special short courses in these .subjects, arranged at convenient centres during school vacations.